AHOSKIE – For the second year in a row, the Lady Rams of Ridgecroft School have won the championship title in the Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament.

Ridgecroft matched up against Northeast Academy for the title Friday night and emerged victorious with a final score of 48-32.

The Lady Rams took the early lead when Jessica Bolton was fouled just five seconds into the game and made both of her free throws.

A Hayes Bryant bucket a few seconds later put Ridgecroft ahead 4-0.

Northeast leading scorer Betty Edwards made the first of her baskets a minute later, but was quickly answered by a shot from Bolton.

LeAnn Barnes made a basket with 6:18 left in the quarter to push Northeast within two (6-4), but that was as close as they would get for the remainder of the game.

Ridgecroft went on a 9-0 shooting streak then, with five points from Bryant, three from Bolton and one from Tayler Smith to give them a 15-4 lead with a minute to play in the first period.

Edwards put up a triple with 20 seconds left on the clock to narrow the gap to eight (15-7) at the end of the quarter.

Ridgecroft maintained their edge in the second and third quarters, leading 31-13 at the half and increasing that to 43-19 after three periods.

Northeast led the scoring in the fourth period, but it was too late for a comeback.

Bryant put up a shot 30 seconds into the quarter but Lacy Pfeiffer of Northeast made a basket a minute later to make it 45-21.

Caitlyn Harrison sank 1-of-2 free throws for the Rams and then Edwards made a basket followed by a triple to get Northeast within 20 at 46-26.

Another bucket from Bryant ended the scoring for the Rams with two minutes to play, but the six consecutive points Northeast earned during the last couple of minutes wasn’t enough to make a difference in the outcome as they were defeated 48-32.

After the conclusion of both championship games, the All-Tournament team was announced and both Edwards and Callie Burgess from Northeast made the cut.

April Piland of Ridgecroft was also named to the team, while Bryant earned the title of tournament MVP.

Lady Rams (48): Hayes Bryant – 19, Jessica Bolton – 11, April Piland – 8, Bardin Murray – 4, Caitlyn Harrison – 3, Emily Cooke – 2, Tayler Smith – 1

Lady Eagles (32): Betty Edwards – 18, Callie Burgess – 4, Molly Hargrave – 4, Lori Coggins – 2, LeAnn Barnes – 2, Lacy Pfeiffer – 2